1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a suction recovering device for an ink jet printer, and in particular to a suction recovering device for sucking ink from a nozzle portion for effecting jetting of ink therethrough and thereby eliminating bubbles or clogging and to an ink jet printer having such suction recovering device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
According to the prior art, an ink jet printer may be provided with a carriage movable in a predetermined direction along the recording surface and have one or more liquid jet recording units mounted on the carriage to thereby effect recording. In the ink jet printer of this type, when bubbles mix with the liquid jet recording unit or units or when clogging occurs in the nozzle portion thereof, the carriage is brought to a predetermined position not opposed to the recording surface, for example, a home position, and ink is sucked from the nozzle portion by a suction recovering device disposed at that position, thereby eliminating the bubbles or the clogging.
In such an ink jet printer, preparatory discharge is effected to accomplish printing on recording paper in a stable state when the main switch is in its closed position or when the printing operation is again started after the printing operation has been stopped for a predetermined time, but in the structure according to the prior art, ink drips onto the lower surface of the cap member of the suction recovering device during this preparatory discharge with the result that the printer is contaminated.